Inspire Campfire

Two hundred episodes. Five years. Hundreds of conversations with ordinary people who said yes to something extraordinary.For this milestone episode, there is no guest. It is just Scott, a cup of coffee, and a long overdue conversation about where Inspire Campfire started, what it has become, and the patterns that keep showing up across 200 hero's journeys.Scott shares the origin story of the podcast, beginning with a daddy-daughter camping trip, a feeling he could not shake, and a moment in the Minnesota Boundary Waters where two weeks passed without a single thought about meaning or purpose. That absence, it turned out, was the answer.He reads the introduction from his newly self-published book, Campfire Within: Three Simple Steps for Reigniting Your Inner Fire, and reflects on what five years of listening to adventure stories has done to him. The conversations changed him. The guests pushed him. And somewhere along the way, a real estate broker from Charlotte who liked to go camping found himself trekking to Mount Everest Base Camp.In this episode, Scott walks through the patterns he has noticed across 200 episodes: why people choose difficulty on purpose, what nature actually does for us when we let it, how shared struggle creates bonds that last a lifetime, and why ordinary people are the ones who end up with the most extraordinary stories.He also gets honest about what has been hard, what he wants more of, and what he is ready to let go of.This one is for the listeners. For the guests. For everyone who has ever felt a pull toward something and wondered whether to answer it.Get the book: https://www.inspirecampfire.com/book

Wibe-Sam Van Keulen is a self-described vagabond, adventurer, coach, and founder of Vagabond Coaching. Originally from the Dutch countryside, Sam has spent much of his life following an inner pull toward freedom, adventure, and a life built around experiences instead of simply chasing the traditional markers of success.That pull started early. At 17, Sam hitchhiked nearly 1,000 kilometers from the Netherlands to France. What began as a bold teenage adventure became the start of a decade of travel, work, discovery, and learning how much can happen when you step outside your normal routine. Along the way, Sam learned that strangers often become companions, fear is sometimes louder in our minds than it is in reality, and the same road you take every day can become the beginning of something entirely new.Sam later returned to a more stable corporate path in the insurance world, but over time he realized that stability alone was not enough. After building a successful business in rural France and creating income through real estate and rentals, Sam made the rare decision to walk away from work that no longer felt aligned. He began creating more space for hiking, travel, nature, connection, and the kind of experiences that made him feel most alive.In this episode, Scott and Sam talk about listening to your intuition, redefining success, leaving behind old patterns, and the courage it takes to build a life that actually reflects who you are. It is a conversation about freedom, responsibility, adventure, coaching, and what it means to follow the vagabond spirit with awareness and intention.

Jack Langton is an adventurer, storyteller, and founder of The HUMN Project, a storytelling platform built around one simple idea: everyone has a story worth telling. After growing up in Connecticut and spending time in corporate America, Jack found himself pulled toward a different kind of life, one shaped by adventure, curiosity, and human connection.That pull became impossible to ignore after Jack set out on an 8,000-mile bike journey from London to Singapore. What began as a massive physical challenge became something deeper. Along the way, Jack crossed deserts, mountain ranges, remote villages, and unfamiliar borders. He dealt with broken bike parts, long days in extreme heat, language barriers, and stretches of uncertainty. But again and again, he was met by the kindness of strangers, from people offering food and water to families opening their homes.When Jack returned to work, life no longer felt the same. The adventure had changed him. Soon after, he left his corporate job and began building The HUMN Project, a platform focused on sharing extraordinary human stories from around the world. His journey has taken him across the United States and into East Africa, where he has filmed stories about real-life superheroes helping the unhoused, young women escaping harmful cultural practices, people with albinism advocating for their communities, and kids finding purpose through skateboarding.In this episode, Scott and Jack talk about the courage to start before you feel ready, the power of listening to unheard stories, and how adventure can become a doorway to purpose. It is a conversation about risk, calling, human connection, and what can happen when you stop waiting for the perfect plan and simply go.

Kevin Murphy and Tom Weiser are the co-founders of Nerpa Travel, an adventure travel company built around small groups, sustainable vehicles, and real cultural connection. Before launching Nerpa, both spent years working in the adventure travel world with The Adventurists, helping run events like the Mongol Rally, where participants drive tiny cars thousands of miles with no set route and very little support. Those years gave them the kind of confidence that only comes from solving real problems in unpredictable places.In this episode, Kevin and Tom share how their own paths led them into adventure travel. Tom’s journey began with a fascination for Russian language and culture, eventually leading him to work at the Mongol Rally finish line in Russia. Kevin’s route started with travel, wildlife photography, and a life-changing diagnosis that redirected how he pursued adventure. Together, their friendship, field experience, and shared values became the foundation for Nerpa Travel.This conversation explores what it means to build a company around meaningful adventure, not just checking places off a list. Scott, Kevin, and Tom talk about sustainable travel, electric motorbikes in Vietnam, small-group experiences, cultural exchange, and why the best travel stories often come from the moments you could never fully plan. It is a conversation about getting outside, taking risks, and creating space for the kind of stories you will carry for years.

This week on Inspire Campfire, Scott welcomes Martina Wing, founder of Manta Ray Advocates in Kona, Hawaii. Originally from Germany, Martina came to Hawaii during a difficult season of grief after losing her first husband to leukemia. What began as a trip for healing became the start of an entirely new life, shaped by the ocean, manta rays, and one unforgettable night dive.During that dive, Martina encountered manta rays for the first time and experienced something she could not fully explain at the time: awe, wonder, and a sense that life still had more ahead. That moment eventually led her to move to Hawaii, marry the man who filmed her first manta ray experience, and build a purpose-driven business centered on education, conservation, and responsible manta ray encounters.In this conversation, Martina shares how Manta Ray Advocates creates small-group, ethical night snorkeling experiences, why manta rays are often misunderstood, and how years of close observation have helped her build a deep knowledge of individual animals. She also opens up about grief, purpose, entrepreneurship, her viral dolphin rescue video, and the quiet power of being in the presence of the natural world.

This week, we are thrilled to welcome Sarah Aviram, a number one bestselling author, Fortune 500 HR leader, and TEDx speaker whose talk has captivated over 800,000 viewers worldwide. Sarah's story begins with a deep-rooted love of exploration instilled by her well-traveled parents, who raised her to embrace curiosity, seek out new cultures, and ask bold questions about the world around her. That spirit of wonder, combined with her sharp professional instincts as head of talent development at a New York-based tech company, laid the groundwork for one of the most inventional career moves we have ever heard told on this show.Sarah takes us through the remarkable journey of convincing her CEO to allow her to work remotely from 12 countries over 12 months, all in the name of researching the future of remote work. She walks us through the bold business case she built, the sweaty-palmed pitch that changed the entire trajectory of her life, and the stunning moment she heard two simple words: "Do it." What followed was an extraordinary year living and working across South America, Asia, Europe, and Africa, culminating in her return home on March 1st, 2020, just as the world was shutting its doors, and ultimately inspiring her to launch her own business, write two books, and deliver a TEDx talk that has resonated with hundreds of thousands of people around the globe.In this episode, we explore the power of framing your dreams in a way that creates value beyond yourself, the unexpected emotional truth that wherever you go, there you are, the beauty of building ritual and slowing down amid a life of constant novelty, and the quiet but life-changing gift of following your inner compass even when everyone around you doubts the destination. If you have ever had a dream sitting on the shelf waiting for the perfect moment, Sarah's story is the nudge you did not know you needed.

This week, we're honored to welcome Marie "Lootie" Leautey, a record-breaking endurance runner and former international CFO who became only the seventh person in history and the fastest woman to run around the world. Born in France and shaped by a life of radical nomadism that took her from Scotland to Greece to Singapore, Lootie has spent her entire adult life chasing curiosity across borders. But it wasn't a boardroom achievement or a triathlon finish line that changed everything. It was a humbling 500-meter jog with a group of friends in their fifties that stopped her in her tracks, lit a fire, and ultimately set her on a path toward one of the greatest physical and human adventures ever attempted.At 26, a pack-a-day smoker who had never run more than a few hundred meters without stopping, Lootie made a decision that would reshape her entire life. She quit smoking that same day, began building her running from the ground up, and nine months later crossed the finish line of her first marathon in Greece, near the ancient city of Marathon itself. That moment planted a seed that would take root over the following decade and bloom into something extraordinary: a solo, self-supported world run covering four continents, 700 consecutive marathons, a global pandemic, and zero injuries. Her newly released book, Lootie's World Run, chronicles every breathtaking, grueling, and deeply human step of that journey.In this episode, we explore what it truly means to listen to your body as your greatest teammate, how Lootie navigated the COVID-19 pandemic mid-run without ever considering quitting, and what she discovered about human kindness in the most unexpected corners of the world from the remote saloons of Montana to the high passes of the Andes. We also dive into her philosophy of "accidental performance," the power of confronting your dreams rather than your fears, and what she means when she says the fireworks were exploding in her heart as she crossed her finish line, alone in an airport, with the whole world completely unaware. Join us for a conversation that will make you believe, without a doubt, that the greatest adventure on earth is the one you have been waiting to begin.

This week, I’m sharing an unforgettable daddy-daughter adventure to Patagonia with my daughter, Leilan. We traveled to Torres del Paine National Park in Chile to hike the famous W Trek, expecting breathtaking scenery, fierce weather, and a real physical challenge. We found all of that—but we also discovered that some of the most meaningful parts of the journey had nothing to do with the miles we covered.Along the way, we met fellow hikers Tisca Chandaria from London and Natalia Poskrebysheva from Amsterdam. What began as chance encounters on the trail quickly turned into genuine friendship as we shared meals, stories, laughter, and the ups and downs of life in Patagonia. In a place where everyone is pushed by the wind, the distance, and the unpredictability of each day, strangers can become friends faster than you’d expect.In this episode, we reflect on the beauty and difficulty of Patagonia, the lessons that come from doing hard things, and the way adventure has a surprising way of bringing people together. Join us for a conversation about resilience, connection, and the kind of friendships that can only be formed when you step out of your routine and into the unknown.Andrew takes us on a journey through his transformation from corporate professional to passionate architect of life-changing travel experiences. He describes that pivotal moment standing at the edge, heart pounding, knees shaking, and ultimately jumping, and how that single act of courage made him ask: if I can do this, what else am I capable of? That question sparked a sabbatical, a 35-day solo hike across the Camino de Santiago, a bicycle journey over the Alps, and ultimately the birth of Pygmy Elephant in 2015.In this episode, we explore the profound philosophy behind the Pygmy Elephant name, the idea that small trips can have an overarching impact on your life, the unique self-guided adventures the company offers across Patagonia, the Tour du Mont Blanc, Scotland, the Dolomites, and beyond, and how Andrew's business has become a bridge between travelers and the transformative power of nature. Join us for a deep and moving conversation about finding meaning through movement, building a business from the ground up with nothing but grit and passion, and what it truly means to err on the side of adventure.

This week, we're honored to welcome Andrew Delmenhorst, founder of Pygmy Elephant, a company that designs self-guided adventures for travelers around the world. Growing up with a restless curiosity and an early love of exploration, Andrew's life took a defining turn when a bungee jump in Switzerland, a leap he was terrified to take, cracked open something profound inside him and set the course for everything that followed.Andrew takes us on a journey through his transformation from corporate professional to passionate architect of life-changing travel experiences. He describes that pivotal moment standing at the edge, heart pounding, knees shaking, and ultimately jumping, and how that single act of courage made him ask: if I can do this, what else am I capable of? That question sparked a sabbatical, a 35-day solo hike across the Camino de Santiago, a bicycle journey over the Alps, and ultimately the birth of Pygmy Elephant in 2015.In this episode, we explore the profound philosophy behind the Pygmy Elephant name, the idea that small trips can have an overarching impact on your life, the unique self-guided adventures the company offers across Patagonia, the Tour du Mont Blanc, Scotland, the Dolomites, and beyond, and how Andrew's business has become a bridge between travelers and the transformative power of nature. Join us for a deep and moving conversation about finding meaning through movement, building a business from the ground up with nothing but grit and passion, and what it truly means to err on the side of adventure.

This week, we’re honored to welcome Melissa Rodway to the campfire, author, podcast host, and lifelong adventurer who lives by a simple but unsettling truth. If you constantly feel like you are meant to be doing something else, you probably are. Melissa has followed that inner agitation across continents, letting curiosity and discomfort guide her toward a more honest life.Melissa takes us deep into her multi month journey through Southeast Asia, traveling through Thailand, Lao, Cambodia, Vietnam, and China. What began as an open ended backpacking trip became something far more personal. From leech filled jungle treks and chaotic ferry rides to unexpected luxury resorts and powerful encounters with locals, Melissa shares how travel stripped away distractions and forced her to confront herself. You cannot escape your own head by changing countries. But you can learn to listen to it.In this episode, we explore the meaning of agitation, the courage to leave a life that no longer fits, and the wisdom of knowing when a journey is complete. We talk about resilience, human connection, and why the real story of any adventure is not the destination but the people you meet. Join us for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about paying attention to what lights you up and having the bravery to follow it.